The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-20
.yOvsSALESH AND OFFICE.
Henry WattersOn Tells why ne
Would not be United states senator.
Fran, 5Le InuisrilIe ,Sun6ldu Argus.

From tile Lcuisrlle Sunday Argus.
SIR: I am not insensible to the
confidence and honor implied by the
suggestion of my name for the Unit
ed States Senator, and, if l have fail
ed to respond to your nomination, 1t
has been because of belief that my
opinions respecting holding Office are
so we'll known as to require no par
ticular repetition. 1t was not until
nv return to Kentucky, after pro-
tracted absence, that l learned OF
your continuous ard most fstterlng
urgency, and, since your remarks call
for an answer, it would be uncourt-
eous to withhold, viii say again.
what | have often said in public and
private, that there is no position
within the gift Of the government or
the people the acceptance of which l
would even consider.
had this question to decide when
some wears ago it presented itself
more tangibly-if you will allow me
to differ from you in thinking-than
it does now, and deciding 1t in the
negative, decided it for all time.
The examples of two eminent
members of our profession, whose
contentious in the field Of practical
politics embittered their lives and
dwarfed their usefulness, and tar.
nished their fame, and the tragic fate
which each in his death encountered
made an early and deep impression
upon my mind. When accepted q
seat in the national House Of Repre-
sentatiyes it was accompanied by the
statementjthat the holding Of office
had entered into no plan or scheme
of mine, and was coupled with the
refusal to serve longer than the spe-
cial purpose and occasion, which, at
E moment Of extraordinary public
danger, called me into the peoples
branch of Congress. My experience
there was a verifcation of my pre-
conceptions and predictions. For
ell the good | was able to do I might
as well have stayed at home.
think, with Phillip Van Arte-
velde, that
Men in their places are the men who
stand.
am, aud have been all my life, q
Journalist, and working journalist
equal to the duties which yield me
a safficiency, happy in my associates
and proud of my calling. l set it
neither above nor below that Of other
men. Ii is simply, like the choice OF
the swain in the immortal pastoral,
mine own" AS such, for good or
ILL., shall abide by it to the end.
But will give it, through you, the
tribute that may be found in the con-
fession that never knew what pure
selfshness means and squali6 de-
pendence is until / found myself an
atom of that class in which, more
than in any other on earth, it is ev-
ery man for himself and devil take
the hindmost.
l thank you sir, for your great
good will, and for the phrases OF com:
pliment in which you have couched
it. am exceedingly susceptible to
such expressions from my profess
sional comrades. They seduce me
in this instance to gsrrnlity dispro.
portioned to tbs subject; because L
am of tie opinion that the Democrats
of Kentucky have already deter,
mined that anothe- than myself shall
represent them in the National Sen
ate, and, in my Judgment, they have
determined very wisely, and and al
together for the best.
I am, dear sir, your obliged fello"
citizen and f.llow worker,
HENRY WATTERsON.
Courier Journal Office, Oct. l, 8! .